Leave the Gun.....Take the Cannoli

I spent the past few days visiting Sicily, more specifically the city of Palermo. In my final trip to Southern Italy, I have truly realized just how different the are is in culture, architecture, and food. I never usually like to eat the same thing twice, to give myself the opportunity to try lots of things, but in Sicily I did have to make an exception. That food worthy of an exception......the Cannoli.

Cannoli started as a Carnivale treat in Palermo and have now grown to be so popular that they are offered all year round. Many places outside of Palermo, including Rome, advertise "True Sicilian Cannoli" in effort to lure customers in with the "real deal". Cannoli have spread just like the Sicilians themselves and are now found all over the world, including in some bakeries around the USA. I must admit I've had them before at home and never found them so "to die for" that they were worth the hefty fee. Well in Sicily my friends it's a totally different story. Not only are they so good you can't pass a pastry shop by without picking one up, but they're also made here, and cheap! I found a small size one for just 70 cents and a large one with candied fruit for only 1,80! It's amazing what happens when you eat things where they originated. There are millions of recipes out there for cannoli. I can't tell you which is the best, because lets face it, the best thing to do is hop over to Sicily and try the real thing for yourself. However, I've found one here that seems fairly authentic and if nothing else teaches you to make the outer wafer parts well, so that you can fill them with whatever you please (sometimes as we all know the best way to make something you'll never replicate is to just use it to create something new yourself). Feast your eyes on my pictures below and then book your ticket to Palermo!